Having a light permanently on a handgun makes it more practical for investigating when things go bump in the night. Note: The TLR-1 comes in regular and HL versions. The HL version (pictured) is $160 USD or $200 Canadian, half the price of the Surefire X300U-A, which go for $300 USD or $420 Canadian.
Streamlight TLR-1 HL Specs
- Uses (2) CR123 batteries
- Depending on age, it may be 600, 800, or 1000 lumens vs 300 on the standard TLR-1
- 4.3 oz (122 grams)
- IPX7 waterproof to 1M
The beam on the TLR-1 HL has a medium sized spot with some flood around it. From 5 yards, the spot is about 1 yard across, while the flood is much lighter.
Mounting the TLR-1 to your gun
Many pistols use either a Glock style single slot, or a picatinny rail on the dust cover. To position the light correctly so that the switches are accessible, there are different insert “keys” that you can install in the TLR-1 to correctly mount to a Glock style rail, S&W TSW & 99, 90two (lol), P320, or a standard 1913 pic rail.
If you have regular sized hands, you’ll have no issues hitting the switch with your index finger. It’s just under where you’d rest your trigger finger anyways. If you have small hands, there’s a remote switch available for some guns.
Aside from the gun specific keys, the TLR-1 HL is more or less made to be toolless. The rail clamp tension bolt is made to be tightened with a coin, and since it’s spring-loaded, it’s easy to pull the light off or on the gun. The waterproof battery door uses a simple hinge mechanism to hold it tightly in place.
If you’re mounting the TLR-1 to an AR style rifle, you can mount it on top and your optic will still be able to see overtop of it.
TLR-1 HL vs Competitors
The TLR-1’s main competition is the Surefire X300 family of lights. The X300U-A offers 1000 lumens just like the TLR-1 HL, it also uses 2 CR123 batteries for power, is made of aluminum, IPX7 waterproof, and even has the same switch styles. There are some new entrants coming in like the Olight lights, but they’ll need time to get to the same level of reliability and track record that the Streamlight and Surefires see. There are also lots of eBay knockoffs, but given the critical role that a light like this has to face, I’m not sure it’s a great place to cheap out.
Conclusion
There is no legal carry option for handguns in Canada, so it’s not like I’m able to test this light thoroughly. The switches, clips, and mechanisms are easy to use and well thought out, I tested the waterproofness and it’s waterproof, and the beam is pretty practical. I like how simple the switches are (switched on, momentary on, double click momentary to get strobe). You need to consult the manual to figure out modes for some of my other flashlights, while this one is very intuitive to use.
Warranty on Streamlights is good. With some Googling around, I found that some people have had parts breakages with the tail rocker switch assembly/battery door latch breaking. Beware anything that looks like too good a deal, as there are knockoffs out there.
You are paying a premium for name brand “peace of mind” with a light like this. In my uneducated opinion, it does not really have parts that justify a $200 price tag, but it’s well tested and much less likely to cause you grief compared with other lights that have a shorter track record, but have better price to performance.
